Retirees at Thai resort busted for bridge

Over 30 European retirees holidaying in Thailand were busted for playing bridge as part of a government crackdown on gambling.

Almost three dozen mostly elderly bridge-playing Westerners have found themselves the surprise targets of a vice crackdown under Thailand's military government.

Police in the resort city of Pattaya said they raided the afternoon gathering of 32 foreigners in an apartment above a restaurant after receiving a tip that illegal gambling was taking place there.

The city is a hive of prostitution and a popular vacation spot for gangsters all over the world.

The bridge players were released on bail of 5,000 baht ($A195) each.

Police said they would not be charged with gambling, but might be charged under a 73-year-old law limiting individuals to possession of 120 unregistered playing cards.

They are mostly British, but also from Scandinavia, the Netherlands and elsewhere, and were held until the wee hours of Thursday morning.


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Source: AAP


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